My fish smells like fish!

March 1, 2009 4:55 PM

How do I get my shells to stop smelling like fish?

I bought some shells on vacation in the Bahamas, including a starfish. It seemed plenty dried out when I bought it, but now, upon unwrapping, it smells very fishy (shocking, I know). Do I just need to leave it to dry or is there something else I should be doing too?

posted by dame to Science & Nature (4 answers total)

I don't know about the starfish, but when we brought some shells back from Florida, I soaked them in a weak bleach solution for a while and that seemed to stop the fishy smell.
posted by leahwrenn at 4:57 PM on March 1, 2009

Best answer: Place all of your shells in a plastic bag with some baking soda. Let them sit for about 24 hours, then take them out and shake off the baking soda. It should absorb any lingering odor.
posted by amyms at 4:59 PM on March 1, 2009

Shells, if colored, may lose their color if put in bleach water. I suggest leaving them in the ground for a bit, so that ants etc. can eat up any fishy debris left behind. And then gently washed.

Starfish not so sure, but you could try pickling them in formalin (formaldehyde) as they have obviously not been preserved (cured) properly. Be aware that formalin is poisonous and a carcinogen. You should take proper precautions!

Collecting/buying starfish, shells etc. when on holiday is not a good idea, as these creatures are better left in the sea where they belong.
posted by lungtaworld at 5:17 PM on March 1, 2009

You can also try boiling, which is not as dangerous as bleach, though I guess you wouldn't want to boil the starfish.

Have your shells been coated with anything? Shells sold as souvenirs are sometimes given a coat of clear, non-glossy varnish. If not, sealing them like this might help eliminate any last traces of smell.
posted by ghost of a past number at 10:31 PM on March 1, 2009